The Latest: States target Google in new antitrust probe

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FILE – In this May 1, 2019, file photo a man walks past a Google sign outside with a span of the Bay Bridge at rear in San Francisco. A group of states are expected to announce an investigation into Google on Monday, Sept. 9, to investigate whether the tech company has become too big. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Latest on states’ antitrust probe on Google (all times local):

2:05 p.m.

A large group of states led by Texas is announcing an investigation of Google’s market power and whether it unfairly squelches competition and hurts consumers.

The announcement comes just days after a separate group of states disclosed an investigation into Facebook’s market dominance.

The probe by the bipartisan group of attorneys general from nearly every state widens the antitrust scrutiny of big tech companies beyond sweeping federal and congressional investigations and enforcement action by European regulators.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is making the announcement at a news conference in Washington.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has a market value of more than $820 billion and controls so many facets of the internet that it’s fairly impossible to surf the web for long without running into at least one of its services.

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2 a.m.

A group of states are expected to announce an investigation into Google on Monday to investigate whether the tech company has become too big.

The investigation is the latest in a series of probes against Google and other big tech companies. Congress, the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission are also conducting probes.

Reports indicate that Google will be the target of the latest investigation, which will be led by Texas. A separate state-led investigation into Facebook was announced last week.

Investigators are likely to look at areas of Google’s business that have drawn past criticism, including its online search and advertising services as well as its Android smartphone operating system.